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Michiaki Report on Japan Expo

Sander · 4256

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Offline Sander

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on: September 14, 2008, 01:49:52 PM
Click here for the original and the official French translations.

This is an unofficial translation from the French version-

04/07 - 10/07 2008
It's only 2,3 days before departure when we decided to go to Paris. In fact, we first gave up, because the Ra:IN's concert planned there, was unfortunately canceled. After our tour "METAL BOX TOUR", I begun the recording work in studio. During that, I received a proposal to go to play at Japan Expo. So what do we do Huh? Before we made a decision, Ra:IN was already on the Japan Expo website. So Pata and me, decided to go to play. But it's only Pata and me, and staff members who are going to go to Paris. Tetsu and DIE can't come with us. Unfortunately!!! Moreover, the proposition was a little live concert, just us. I spoke with Pata, and we wanted to put the maximum sound in this concert. It was logical because we are "Rock Band" So we recorded piano and drums in studio, with a short time to do it.



04/07

Arrival at Paris- Charles de Gaulle

After 12 hours of flying, I arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport! I passed the border without any problems! It was really easy compared to that of Beijing, last year! It's true that this time, I didn't have a lot of baggage. Like the last time in France, problems with traffic jams tired me! A hour to go to my hostel at Bastille. There, we organized a little meeting with the staff. It was the second time I had been to Bastille, so, when I walked around, the district was familiar for me. In July, Paris is really cool! The weather is good, no humidity, not like in Japan. I was really happy to be here! Even if the last days were really busy. I passed a good evening with friends I found.


05/07

14H-15H Destination JAPAN EXPO
16H-17H30 Autographs meeting
18H-19H30 Returning to the Hotel


Japan Expo, Northern Paris, Parc d'expositions is near the airport. We took the same way as yesterday, but backwards, but today we took another road not to have problems with traffic. (this part doesn't make sense really, probably a mistake from translating from Japanese) Thanks Nicolas, you made the good choice! (he was our manager in Paris) In the backstages at Japan Expo, we met Miyavi. He invited us at his concert the following day.


After that, it was hour of the autograph signing! What the crowd in the room! I heard that this year, there were 13,000 visitors (probably a translation mistake, this year the attendance was 130,000). There were lot of fans!! The meeting passed very well and we were very happy! Towards 19:00, we went to a restaurant with our staffs and our friends. I really enjoyed the wine and the good meals! What a joy!!! And afterwards, we continued the evening in the bars.


06/07

I woke up early this morning. Maybe because of the jet lag. Today, Sunday, there wasn't much people in the street. I walked around enjoying the tranquility of the morning. Sophie (the interpreter, we worked with her in 2005) joined us. With the staff of PARIS VISUAL PROD, we went to the JAPAN EXPO in car. In the car, I ate a sandwich and drunk some beer. Even on the road, there wasn't much people.

10h Meeting at the hotel
10h30-11h30 Destination JAPAN EXPO
12h-12h30 Lunch


Today, to go to the signing session, JAPAN EXPO prepared us a car. (Yesterday we had to walk and it took us 5 minutes to walk across the JAPAN EXPO). But the driver got lost on the road. We turned around the building more than 20 minutes (ha, ha, ha). The Parc d'expositions is really huge !

12h30-14h Signing session


First session today. After the session, we took some photo souvenirs with some members of the JAPAN EXPO staff. Our fans couldn't stop shouting "RAIN! RAIN! RAIN!". Thank you so much it means a lot to me.

14h-15h

I got an old friend Masato who lives in Paris. He's a well known hairdresser. He introduced me to Yumi-san. She's a very good make-up artist. She already worked with Catherine Deneuve, Faye Dunaway. I didn't know she was that good ! She was really nice, I thank you from all my heart !

15H30-16H30 Rehersal

17H-17H45 Preformance


Photos by CHRIS CB



Photos by CHRIS CB


Photos by Sophie


Photos by CHRIS CB

We made the best live! Thanks to our fans! And I am proud us two!!! That was really good to come here!!! This live is very very important for us! After that, the greatest official autographs meeting took place. Still screams: " Ra: IN! Ra: IN! Ra: IN! " I thank you infinitely!!!




20H-21H Returning to the hotel

I was thinking of going to see Miyavi after a little break. So I layed down for a bit. When I woke up, it was already the morning ! I think I woke up too early the day before or we had to do to much. But Pata went out to have a drink ! Well done !

07/07

Every morning the first sentence coming from my mouth was "A beer please" ! Same for PATA ! Things don't change as we do the same in the whole world. The people from the hotel got used to it and knew what we wanted when we were arriving in the hall.

14h-14h30 Interview
14h30-15h Interview


Interpreter Yumi-chan
Yumi-chan (she lives in Paris for a long time) helped us from the first day till the last day !

15h-15h30 Interview

French interpreter

After the interview, we went to a signing session at St. Michel.


I guess a lot of fans came to every signing session (there were 4). Thank you very much !

After the session, we left. People kept on screaming the name of our band till the car was gone. Next time, we'll be back for a live concert ! All of us !

19h30-20h Going to NO-LIFE STUDIO

Sophie, Pata and me stayed a bit in a cafe near the studio. A quiche and a beer, that's good !

20h-22h Interview and shooting at NO-LIFE STUDIO

That's it, work is done ! I met and got along very well with an accessory drawer. He came from Japan to show his jewels at the JAPAN EXPO. Then we left to Bastille altogether.


22h-22h30 Back at the hotel

I thank everyone who supported us ! We spent the evening at a Kurd restaurant. A friend, Delphine (guitarist, she played with DIE in another band in Japan) came to see us. I also met the photograph, Francis (he was in Switzerland to take some photos of a concert) who just came back in Paris. It made me really happy ! The Kurd bread is very soft and fresh, it was delicious ! After leaving the restaurant, what did I do ? I don't know... I can't remember !!! Maybe I drunk too much Huh?

08/07

In the end, we got to rest a little ! I was so tired that I couldn't do anything in the afternoon. I wanted to buy some CD of folk music. We walked in the street Faubourg du temple from Republic to Belleville to find these CDs. But I couldn't find any... Then, Yumi-chan brought us to the street Jean-Pierre Timbaud, and there, bingo ! I was happy ! After this, we went to the Marais.


At the end of the evening, we had a meeting with Marc from SKY DOG RECORDS. He invited us at his place. He lives near Belleville ! Some more walk ? When we arrived, Francis was there. We stayed a bit, it was really cool. Then we went to eat something. We went to a so called Chinese restaurant which was more Vietnamese than Chinese ! But it didn't really matter. I got to order my drinks with the french menu, but no way I could order the meal. I couldn't understand anything ! Marc and Francis left, and we went to a bar at Republique to end this beautiful evening.

09/07

08h30-09h50 Going to Charles De Gaulle
11h50 - Departure


Nicolas was really nice till the end. He went with us till the check-in. Thanks a lot ! I really hope we'll be back soon !


P.S
The show at Elysee Montmartre was in 2005 - already 3 years ago ! In France, nowadays, people seem to like Japan ! Especially for its pop culture, manga and Cosplay. Visual Kei too. By the way, I think that Ra:IN is the first band of this kind that played in Paris. But I think Ra:IN is more a ROCK band than a Visual Kei band.

Last year at Beijing, I met two french people after our concert. They told me they were at the show at the Elysee Montmartre. I never thought I'd heard about this show in Beijing ! It was really cool !

Even in Japan, when we came back from Paris, I met a french guy. He was at the Elysee Montmartre show too ! What a coincidence !!! I invited him to the RED BULL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE. It was our first live after the show in Paris. He was very happy to see us. He told us the live at Elysee Montmartre was really good and he really enjoyed it !!!

Even three years after, he still remembered this show, what he felt there. It was exactly the same for us !!!! If this visit in Paris could have the same effect, it'd be really great ! Next time, we really have to go to Paris the FOUR of us ! No matter what !



The whole Ra:IN will be there, and we'll play LOUD !!!

Here's a mail from Julien of PARIS VISUAL PROD who thanks us :

"We heard a lot about the live in Paris. The fans were really happy and had a great time ! It seems like your performance was really worth it !!! Everybody was surprised and happy to have such a nice time with only music ! Your fans were really happy to be able to meet Pata and Michiaki. I think that you also had a great time, and I'm glad you did !
See you later,
Julien"




Thanks to the translators!

Note that this is not an official translation and it might have mistakes.

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Offline Lucs

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Reply #1 on: September 14, 2008, 01:58:26 PM
It's really cool they translated it in french ! At least international fans can read it too !!!

I'm glad they enjoyed being there, 'cause we enjoyed it too !!!


Offline FoXxX

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Reply #2 on: September 15, 2008, 08:22:14 AM


Just amazing XD I love this picture*__*



Offline Sander

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Reply #3 on: September 15, 2008, 08:26:41 AM
It's AWESOME :D

And I think Kyubi and me and maybe some others are visible on this picture o_o :


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Offline FoXxX

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Reply #4 on: September 15, 2008, 08:29:05 AM
Yeah i've saw this picture too ^^ Kyubi have an idiot face on this picture lol



Offline Taku

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Reply #5 on: September 17, 2008, 06:24:33 PM
Fox you also have a stupid face on your picture XD

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